DefraGov
Verified User
You will have to provide this information on the new digital application and payment service, rather than on paper maps and forms.
CAP reform Policy Questions
- Thread starter llamedos
- Start date
If I choose to register all my relevant hedgerows on the new system will there be more greening issues added like cutting every other year , or will it be the same set of rules that apply to hedges now? Including the truly daft recently applied delaying of cutting time for another month.
DefraGov
Verified User
Hi filthyfarmer
Registration has already started.
We want to avoid the pitfalls of ‘big bang’ IT programmes where a service is produced behind the scenes and then ‘launched’ in one go to all customers. With this new online service we are both developing it and introducing it to customers in a controlled way, making sure that what customers can do on the service – is working well, by asking a few customers to use it, making improvements, then inviting more customers.
We have so far been selecting different groups of customers that can help us learn most about what the service is like to use; some who used SPS online, some who used paper forms this year. We are currently focused on inviting farming agents and those who we know will need the most support first, we expect to invite lots more customers onto the service in the coming weeks.
doitinwellies
Member
- Location
- Somerset
But we were originally going to be asked to join by the end of October, we are now nearly in December and still not invited. There is a lot for us all to do if we are to meet the 15th May deadline, or will the RPA allow a soft entry into the new scheme and not apply penultes for applications after the 15th May? Are your computer systems ready?
janethughes
New Member
Hi willdevon - I'm from the identity assurance programme in the Cabinet Office - we're responsible for GOV.UK Verify. Here are the answers to your questions:
GOV.UK Verify protects you by preventing someone else from pretending to be you and accessing the digital service using your details. Your chosen certified company will do that by checking a range of information to make sure that it's really you and not someone pretending to be you. The certified companies have to check a range of evidence - we've explained this in a bit more detail on their blog https://identityassurance.blog.gov....tified-company-establish-that-its-really-you/
Once you've verified your identity using GOV.UK Verify you'll be able to use it to access a range of services, not just CAP. For example over time you'll start to be able to use GOV.UK Verify to access services like claiming benefits, paying taxes and updating your driver licence details. We've published some information about the first few services that will use GOV.UK Verify on our blog here: https://identityassurance.blog.gov....vices-that-plan-to-start-using-gov-uk-verify/
As Emily said, if you're not able to verify your identity using GOV.UK Verify there will be alternatives available for you to access the CAP service.
Having GOV.UK Verify as a way of accessing the range of government services will mean that different government services don't have to develop their own separate ways of verifying people's identity for digital services. This will help us reduce duplication and costs across services. The Identity Assurance Programme has cost about £25m to develop to date, compared with savings of £33.3 million in the financial year 2012/13 and a further £41.6 million in financial year 2013/14.
So far we've only invited very small numbers of users to register - we're rolling out the service gradually so we can learn from the experiences of early users. We'll start publishing data about how many people have used the service once we start increasing the numbers of people using GOV.UK Verify to access services. We can say that some people have given us some feedback about their experiences of testing the service and we've been working to make improvements to respond to that feedback. See https://identityassurance.blog.gov.uk/2014/11/03/gov-uk-verify-continuous-improvement/ for some more information about how we're working to continuously improve the service. We'd encourage anyone who uses GOV.UK Verify at this early stage, and in the future, to give detailed feedback about their experience. The more feedback we receive, the more we can learn about how people experience the service and carry on improving and developing it so it works straightforwardly for as many people as possible.
DefraGov
Verified User
We’ve posted a response above that may answer this for you.
Yes you do have to register to the new online service to apply for your BPS. The registration process has already started .
We are currently focused on inviting farming agents and those who we know will need the most support first, we expect to invite lots more customers onto the service in the coming weeks – keep an eye on our blog https://capreform.blog.gov.uk/ for updates.
Flyer
Member
- Location
- New Forest
Hi @janethughes
Can you please elaborate on this statement:
As Emily said, if you're not able to verify your identity using GOV.UK Verify there will be alternatives available for you to access the CAP service.
What will these alternatives be exactly? I help a number of people who have no chance of doing anything online and I can't see them being too successful spending hours on the phone to Experian et all either.
Thanks
DefraGov
Verified User
Firstly we assume you meet the eligibility criteria, i.e. the land is eligible for the Basic Payment Scheme. We can then confirm that raspberries are classified as a permanent crop and strawberries are classified as an arable crop.
If your arable land is above the thresholds (10ha for crop diversification and 15ha for EFAs) and you are not subject to one of the exemptions you will have to meet the crop diversification and EFA requirements across your holding. You’ll have to consider how you can best meet this for your business. The August and October leaflet provides more information on greening and the exemptions [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...le/367701/cap-reform-october-2014-update.pdf].
Yes, thank you I have spotted that. I will wait my turn patiently.
doasyoulikey
Member
Do you have any further info on the young farmer topup scheme yet?
DefraGov
Verified User
Thanks for the question
We recognise that this is not always as simple as when the land was purchased. Later in the year we will publish further information on what supporting evidence you will need to provide to show when you commenced you agricultural activity.
janethughes
New Member
Hi, I'm going to let @DefraGov answer this one so they can tell you about the assisted digital support that will be available.
DefraGov
Verified User
1)If you have land which isin the EWGS or FWPS, anditwas usedto activate SPS entitlements in 2008, it will be eligible under the BPS whilst the landremains in those schemes.
2) If there are no permanent structures present the farmer will not need to provide evidence to show that he is an active farmer.
Janet,
Thank you for your reply. I have seen the rehearsed line about 'making sure its me ' often, but no one has explained why it is different to the gov gateway service that already exists and is widely used. I am also informed that Gov verify needs more detail than a valid passport - so i can pay taxes, vat, receive SFP and travel across borders using the existing security systems / passport, but i need to jump through a new set of hurdles on a new database run by a commercial company to interact with DEFRA.
Can you give us a flavour of the feedback of the Gov.verify service?
Also, if CAP is paid to a business, why do i as an individual need to provide all these details - the inland revenue already has all the business details?
I would also be interested to know, the administration cost ( including relevant Capex) per £ of CAP payment made, and how this compares to previous years and the comparisons for Scotland/Wales and a few other European countries. Do we come out of such a comparison well?
Thank you for your reply. I have seen the rehearsed line about 'making sure its me ' often, but no one has explained why it is different to the gov gateway service that already exists and is widely used. I am also informed that Gov verify needs more detail than a valid passport - so i can pay taxes, vat, receive SFP and travel across borders using the existing security systems / passport, but i need to jump through a new set of hurdles on a new database run by a commercial company to interact with DEFRA.
Can you give us a flavour of the feedback of the Gov.verify service?
Also, if CAP is paid to a business, why do i as an individual need to provide all these details - the inland revenue already has all the business details?
I would also be interested to know, the administration cost ( including relevant Capex) per £ of CAP payment made, and how this compares to previous years and the comparisons for Scotland/Wales and a few other European countries. Do we come out of such a comparison well?
kent connection
New Member
- Location
- Kent, UK.
So assuming i've got more than 15ha of arable land (strawberries), but all of the farm is under poly tunnels, i've either got to grub out most of the strawberries and put them into raspberries, or grub out some of the poly tunnels completely?
For most people raspberries and strawberries aren't an arable crop?
DefraGov
Verified User
Hi
A couple of points you’re raising there.
Firstly, we know some people are not online at present and some may have challenges applying online. We have already contacted more than 13,000 customers who applied for the Single Payment Scheme on paper to help identify whether they may need extra help. We will continue to contact customers who applied on paper to ensure they get access to help if they need it.
If you know someone who has not returned their “extra help” form, it is not too late for them to do so.
Secondly on the alternatives to GOV.UK Verify. Nobody is excluded from applying for CAP schemes if they can’t verify their identity entirely digitally through GOV.UK Verify at this stage – GOV.UK Verify will direct customers who are unable to verify their identity to a defra helpline in order to access the alternative we’ve set up.
DefraGov
Verified User
You must retain your hedge for the whole year in which you are counting it as an EFA. Page 8 of the October leaflet [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...le/367701/cap-reform-october-2014-update.pdf] explains the following:
Farmers must manage their hedges according to the cross compliance guidance (for example, following the cutting restrictions). Other than that, there are no more management rules for hedges under the greening rules.
Farmers with Higher Level Stewardship or Entry Level Stewardship agreements may also have other management requirements for their hedges.
Christopher Renner
Member
- Location
- Rutland
Can fallow land be mown or topped to prevent seed set or is it Land not in agricultural production?
Hi, wonder if the Defra team can help. If a HLS/ELS scheme is set to end in Early 2016, what is the likelihood if the current agreement being renewed? Is HLS to continue?
The change in payment dates for stewardship which is to be implemented in 2015 is utterly mind boggling. For all the efforts to reduce red tape, this is chaotic to say the least. Can someone not see sense here, save an awful lot if hassle and continue as normal?
Thanks you
The change in payment dates for stewardship which is to be implemented in 2015 is utterly mind boggling. For all the efforts to reduce red tape, this is chaotic to say the least. Can someone not see sense here, save an awful lot if hassle and continue as normal?
Thanks you
janethughes
New Member
Hi @willdevon
I can answer the first two of those questions - the last two are for my @DefraGov colleagues.
GOV.UK Verify is different to Government Gateway in a number of ways. The most important are that:
- GOV.UK Verify will give a higher level of assurance that the person is really who they say they are, because of the range of checks that the certified companies have to do. This higher level of assurance will be required for many transformed digital services which allow people for the first time the ability to amend records and make claims entirely digitally.
- you'll be able verify your identity entirely digitally with GOV.UK Verify without having to rely on sending items in the post, calling a call centre or attending a counter service., so for most people it will be easier and quicker than previously available methods like postal methods, phone methods or Government Gateway.
- GOV.UK Verify will allow you to use a single set of log-in credentials (e.g. username and password, supported by a second step for additional security) to access an increasing range of digital services.
- GOV.UK Verify will allow you to choose the certified company you prefer to verify your identity.
We've received positive feedback about the service from people who've been able to verify their identity so far. Some of the feedback from people who haven't been able to verify their identity has helped us identify ways we can improve the service. For example, we've recently adjusted the information that's given to people when they use GOV.UK Verify to make sure they've got all the information they need before they start the process, because some people fed back that they were asked for information they didn't know offhand and weren't expecting they'd need.